13 Movie Protagonists You're Desperate To See Lose

Cinema is full of serial killers, but few are as messed-up as Jack (Matt Dillon) from Lars von Trier's controversial and sadistically nasty The House That Jack Built. 

Throughout his divisive and frequently scandalous career, von Trier has never been one to hold back and in this deep dive into the mind of an American serial killer who calls himself Mr. Sophistication, he goes all-in. 

The House That Jack Built, an interesting and well-written albeit excessive horror movie, shows Jack's grisly murders in horrifying detail and even goes deep into Jack's psychology. Through his conversations with Virgil (Bruno Ganz, in one of his final film roles), he reveals his nihilistic and deranged psyche as he presents his justifications for his many crimes. 

Dillon's excellent performance brings out just how wretched, broken and alone Jack really is and as such, it's possible to feel a tiny bit of sympathy for him... but only a tiny bit. He is an insidious and horrifying character and the things he does throughout this film will haunt viewers long after the credits roll, especially the hunting scene (if you know, you know). 

Lars von Trier has never been one to focus on audience comfort or satisfaction but in this case, he did give the audience a lovely moment of catharsis by concluding the film with Jack literally falling into hell. Jack got what he deserved, then!